"We're inside the final zone! Deploy everypony- deploy!" Rainbow yelled as Octavia slammed a few buttons and pulled a lever.
The flames from atmospheric friction had long faded as they slowed down during their almost completely vertical descent. Nothing but clear nothings ahead of them now.
The shell around the car split in two and broke apart- they were instantly lifted away by the howling winds, disappearing off behind them.
What emerged wasn't the relatively old-styled luxury car that EDI used to be installed in- but one of Applebloom's intact super sports cars, its black finish gleaming under the sunlight. The look was refined by a thin red line running along the car's low chassis.
"EDI, fins." Rainbow reminded the AI.
"On it."
Their trajectory flattened out a little as they dove towards Valhalla, several fins running along the car's bottom and above the rear adjusting their pitch.
All around them there were other cars as well, ditching their shells and now falling through the sky. Most were part of Applebloom's vehicle collection, others an assortment of salvaged parts pulled together to form a single powerful machine for the job.
"Alrighty... There's the highway." Octavia pointed out the front windshield at a wide road marked a holographic blue. "Adjust."
The car tilted left a little bit, gliding around to prepare for the final landing.
"Crap... I'm seeing a lot of cars on the road..." Rainbow hummed. Then she noticed the plumes of smoke coming from other parts of Valhalla. "What...?"
She saw a flaming anti-air turret, disabled by some sort of explosion. Then another. And several other destroyed structures.
"Did our ground troops attack already?" Octavia frowned.
"I don't think so." Rainbow shook her head, tearing her eyes away and bringing them back to the highway. "Concentrate on the landing."
Octavia sighed. "Got it."
"We're at the third stage altitude." EDI reported with preprogrammed enthusiasm.
"Pull the chutes." Rainbow commanded. The car jolted violently as a trio of parachutes were deployed from the rear of the vehicle, the system rigged to the chassis to ensure it doesn't pull the vehicle apart.
"Has this ever been... Test run?" Octavia asked skeptically. The rapid deceleration was tilting them back, the front end of the car pointed straight down.
"Yes, I mean; no-" Rainbow stammered. "Well, simulator runs."
Octavia pressed her face against the steering wheel, EDI giving a loud honk. "I dislike your plans." She muttered into the high quality artificial leather.
"Don't worry, this is only stage three- wait for four." Rainbow grinned. The ground was coming up real fast- and while the parachutes were preventing them from pancaking into the ground, it was still going to be a head on 20-30mph crash.
"If your plan is for us to land like this..." Octavia began.
"The chutes are just for deceleration, not for landing. Still need to retain some speed."
"FOR WHAT?"
"Stage four is ready." EDI chirped happily.
"Engage." Rainbow said confidently.
"Buck." Octavia contributed. They were barely twenty meters away from the highway. She could count the individual cracks in the asphalt from here.
Something whirred, a shiver traveling down the length of the car. Streaks of glowing orange masses suddenly started appearing before the car, quickly piecing themselves together to form a road barely wide enough for the race car to fit into.
There was a loud thump, followed by a continuous rumbling- similar to the noises of when a large commercial aircraft lands. The vehicle's tires were grinding on the newly formed road, the guiding barriers either side flying past in streaks of bright orange.
The road curved upwards, the vehicle following it. Octavia felt blood rushing away from her face as their forward momentum was violently shoved down, all the downward force of the car transferred to driving force in less than a second.
The vehicle was on the highway now, the glowing ramp it landed on earlier fading into dispersing pixels.
Octavia simply stared out of the front windshield while EDI did the driving, the sports car swerving left and right; avoiding all incoming traffic. She seemed to wake a second later, breathing heavily with her heart beating against her chest.
"I CAN'T FEEL MY FACE!" Was her first reaction as she pawed at it with her hooves.
Rainbow Dash must've been knocked out when they landed. She blinked, completely oblivious to what just happened.
"Oh. We landed." She then noticed Octavia.
"Huuu,huuuu; I can feel my face again... Ugh..." She took a few deep breaths.
"See? We're fine." Rainbow yawned. Then all her sleepiness faded away as a civilian vehicle almost crashed head on into them. Thank goodness EDI shifted to the side, but it was still far too close. If the sports car was a little higher then their side view mirrors would've collided and broken each other off. "Take the wheel! TAKE THE BUCKING WHEEL!" She screamed at her partner, who frantically disengaged autopilot(drive?) and grabbed hold of the steering wheel. The result was twenty meters of drifting around on a straight road, completely out of control.
Octavia was finally able to stabilize the vehicle, but immediately had to send it turning off to the side as more vehicles came up.
"What the hell WAS that!?" She yelled over the honking of horns.
"What was what?"
"That... Orange road... Thing!"
"Eclipse."
"WHAT!?" Octavia almost sent them off the side of the highway.
"Well, reverse engineered from her matter manipulation suit." Rainbow said. "EYES ON THE ROAD-"
They would've crashed right into a mini hover van if EDI didn't suddenly conjure up a curved wall to their side.
The car hit the wall at a soft angle, the block of matter pushing it into a different lane. The van did the same thing on the opposite side, except it kinda went off the bridge.
"Jaysus, that was close." Rainbow muttered, peering behind her.
"Traffic is clearing up ahead. Should be a clear path to the tower soon." Octavia said. There were visibly less cars around on the highway now.
"Escort is here." AL jutted in through EDI's speakers.
"STOP!" The car's AI complained. "Get OUT!"
Rainbow spotted a bright arc rising up beside them from under the bridge. A second later one of the cars piloted by AL came rolling out from under it, its momentum keeping it plastered to the upside down road. The road then flipped around, dumping it onto the highway the right way up.
It landed heavily on the cracked asphalt, the suspension failing and its bottom chassis slamming into the ground. Sparks ignited as the vehicle's lower body slid across the floor, the suspension only just recovering as it stabilized from a three-sixty spin.
Somehow that stunt made Rainbow feel a little more comfortable with her pony-less escort vehicle as it pulled up beside EDI.
A split second later another came barrel rolling onto the highway from under the bridge, landing with AL's calculated accuracy right next to EDI.
"All other units have deployed successfully. Teams are on their way to their individual objectives." AL reported.
"Good." Rainbow took a deep breath. "Next stop..."
Valhalla tower loomed like a colossal god over the rest of the city. For some reason, this didn't feel like it was going to be easy...
*
Earlier...
"Dainty..." The filly was still trying to get away from whoever the tagger was when Rainbow stopped her. The crowd around them was still partying on, Vinyl having taken over the music part of it.
"Sis?"
Rainbow had already thought about what to say. But now that she was facing Dainty's curious gaze, her open mouth failed to find any words.
There was only one thing to do, then.
She pulled Dainty into a hug, the little filly seeming like nothing more than a plushie toy. God, was her mane always this fluffy feeling?
"Um... Rainbow?" Dainty frowned, patting Rainbow on the back.
Rainbow hugged her even closer. Damn, goodbyes are hard.
"Dainty, lil sis..." She broke away, but left her hooves on the filly's shoulders. "Sorry... I... I just had to." She grinned sheepishly, but it faded off to a bit of a sad smile. "You know... I haven't nearly been spending enough time looking after you and- I-" she stammered. What was there left to say? "I'm just... I'm... I'm sorry. I've had time to reflect on the things that have been happening lately." She said, a little bit of it to herself. "And I don't think I've been a good guardian as of late." She chuckled, pausing to read Dainty's expression.
Dainty let her eyes drop down, avoiding Rainbow's gaze. She waited for her to continue.
"I know I promised that I'd always be there. I know I promised that once THIS is all over-" suddenly Dainty stopped her with a tight embrace. Rainbow was surprised to feel a soft wetness against her neck. "Dainty?"
There was a soft whimper.
"I... I cry at night sometimes." Dainty sniffed. "Everypony... Everypony's just gone... And you were still there, you were always there but... It felt like you weren't anymore."
"I know, I know." Rainbow gently patted her on the head. An unspoken promise that things will be alright, with time.
"I went to find you with Lily when we got to Haven... But you were always so busy... I couldn't even get to you even if I knew where you were."
Rainbow nodded sadly. She could feel the tears increasing as they slid down her neck. She hugged Dainty as firmly as she possibly could without hurting her, trying to slowly calm her shaking.
"But now you're here... Now you're here..."
Rainbow thought she detected the barest hint of a smile. She gave the filly a soft nuzzle, holding back a tear of her own.
She came here to say sorry, to say goodbye because she probably won't be able to return. But as Dainty clung desperately to her neck, she couldn't help but change her original intentions. How could she not?
*
"Goddammit..." She muttered, alone in one of the many empty hallways in the Tunnels. She rested her head against the wall, her arm between the two as a bit of a cushion. One long heavy sigh later, and still nothing changed. She had succeeded as a guardian, a soldier; but failed as a big sister. She was there to keep the monsters away, but not there afterwards to comfort Dainty.
Then she felt two eyes boring holes into her back, and she froze. Who could it possibly be? Tavi? Scratch?
She turned around to find Neon leaning against the opposite wall, the eery white glow from her eyes concealing her features. Rainbow wondered if she even had facial features capable of expressing emotion.
"You really are like a ghost, you know that?" She offered a grim chuckle.
"Maybe I am one." An entirely different voice replied. Neon's face melted away into shiny white pixels which dispersed in the air.
"Melony..." Rainbow gasped. The face she knew seemed so much older. She gave a surprised smile, blinking. "You're alive."
Melony nodded. Neon's sleek black form only faded down to the neck, she was still encased in the high-tech split-personality suit.
"I am." She replied. "But that's still arguable."
Rainbow sighed. Why is Melony here? Something probably happened in this universe... Or didn't happen, as the case may be. Maybe... Wait, then why is she hiding?
"Did you hear me?" Rainbow gestured at the door down the hall. Sounds of party rang through it.
"I did." Melony replied, and Rainbow closed her eyes. She let her head drop down, her mane falling over her face and concealing her pained expression in a multi-colored curtain; the red glow from her cybernetic eye seeping through like the ghost of a hidden evil.
She shook her head, not raising her eyes as to avoid Melony's. "I failed."
"And you're admitting this to me as if I've done better?" Dainty's blood sister raised an eyebrow.
"You did EVERYTHING. You REVIVED her." Rainbow pointed out.
"And afterwards?" Melony raised an eyebrow. "I UNDID my failure. You PREVENTED yours. You've saved her countless times, and look at where you are now... You're ready to die for her. For everypony."
Rainbow let out something that sounded more like a weak sigh than the chuckle it was intended to be.
"It's... Not as grand as it sounds." She muttered. "So what'd you come out here to say?"
"Nothing much, really." Melony let herself smile for the first time in the conversation. "I just came out here to thank you for all you did for Dainty. I asked you to look after her, all those years ago. You have no idea how weak I felt then- that I had to hand her over to a complete stranger whom I can't even be sure I can trust. But you've done so much more than look after her- you've kept her so well through this entire thing, and it looks like it's going to stay that way."
"But I-"
"Rainbow. She said she misses you. She wants you to be there to help her, but she doesn't blame you for putting your focus elsewhere." Melony sighed at Rainbow's uncertain expression. "Dainty's a smart kid. She knows that there are more important things at stake here than her own problems. You should know that."
"But-" Rainbow started.
"Nope-"
"Wha-"
"NAH-AH-"
She found herself being shoved towards the door to the party room again, her hooves scrapping against the wet floor uselessly against Neon's augmented strength. The door seemingly swung open by itself as Melony went invisible, and she was dumped back into the party. It slammed shut behind her, giving her a firm thump on the rump as it did so.
"Wait!" She turned around and banged on the door. A few ponies turned their heads to cast questioning glances her way, and she smiled sheepishly. "Um... My keys...?"
*
Present time...
"Chrysie." Val grinned, standing up. "How nice of you to join the party."
"Val...ie..." Chrysalis rolled her eyes, her attempt to copy the science faction empress having failed. "I'd like to point out half of your city is on fire."
"How unfortunate. I'm gonna have to kill you." Val stretched, slowly making her way down the steps leading to her throne.
"Not of concern." Chrysalis turned a slight bit more serious. "Your science faction is done for. With the magic faction right on your doorstep, you have no way of fighting them back whilst dealing with an internal crisis."
"A distraction, I see..." Val made a separate holoscreen beside the one she was talking to Chrysalis through. "I do admire your unusual and highly uncharacteristic sacrificial spirit."
"Well, you forced my hoof." Chrysalis sighed, tapping one of her front hooves against the other. A few specks of dust fell out of some of the holes. "My children lack food, and we can't survive without it. It would seem that your science faction is rather quite literally... loveless."
"Please send all complaints to the complaint box, and rest assured that I will read all of them. In due time." Val yawned, manipulating something on the new holoscreen. Blithy spotted the word 'chamber', but the word before it was blocked from her view. "I will praise your mental strength though, sending all your children to their deaths like this."
"Our other option was to starve to death. I found that slightly less appealing." Chrysalis pouted.
"How nice of you to blame it all on me, then." Val muttered. She pressed something and tucked the separate holoscreen away.
"Very. Also, your expression earlier was quite delightful. I don't think I'll be able to surprise you like that again."
"Happy April fools. Ha-ha." Val said.
"It's June." Chrysalis noted flatly.
"Do forgive me. My lack of enthusiasm towards your previous point hindered my perception of time." Val replied equally flatly. Chronology Nazis, she rolled her eyes and thought to herself.
Chrysalis laughed. "Well. Pleasant as always, talking to you; dear Empress. Almost makes me want to spare you and your puny empire."
"Oh, the only thing you need to spare is time for a poisoned tea party. Let's see who survives by the end of it." Val briefly hinted at her own immortality.
"Sounds lovely. Perhaps I'll bring some gun cakes to go with it." Chrysalis said, and the connection was cut off.
"Who's your friend?" Blithy- or rather Valkyrie- raised an eyebrow.
Val didn't reply straight away. The doors to the throne room burst open, a dark figure clad in augmented red and black armor clunking in. A few pieces of glowing orange matter formed, swirling around her. She formed wings out of them and flapped them experimentally.
"Which one?" Val grinned.
*
"NEMESIS, have you picked up Magnum yet?"
"Affirmative. She is on standby and ready for deployment to Valhalla."
"Hold. She's providing overwatch and fire support for now."
"Copy that. ILLUSION, CYCLOPS is reporting a full charge on the prism cannon; over."
"Roger that NEMESIS. Ground units are standing by. Warden Blaze of strike team three is confirming a changeling presence inside Valhalla. Do NOT engage the changelings, they are friendlies... For now. CYCLOPS, you are clear to fire on Valhalla's main gate. Over."
"ILLUSION this is Iris of CYCLOPS. Cannon is firing in three... Two... One..."
"This is Lightning Dust of Razor! Main gate is confirmed to be down. Local resistance is low due to the changeling attacks, over."
"Copy that. Good work everypony- ground forces, you are clear to invade Valhalla."
"This is Warden Terra! Ground forces are retreating to cover! Valhalla tower is equipped with long range artillery- we're pinned!"
"Copy that Warden. Razor squad, take out the artillery."
"Negative ILLUSION! Tower has an overshield and is deploying heavy anti-air fire! Cannot engage!"
"Dammnit. Copy that Razor. Strike teams, shut down that damn tower."
*
"We're working on it!" Rainbow yelled, taking control of a mini-gun mounted on top of the sports car. She ducked down as a few shots skimmed off the roof. "Enemy aircraft! God... I HATE helicopters!"
Octavia hit a tight turn to avoid something and almost flung Rainbow out the car.
"THERE'S A TANK ON THE HIGHWAY!" She screamed as they passed a hulking lump of metal.
"Engaging." AL said, the two escort vehicles skidding to a halt and making a one-eighty spin as they passed the tank. It didn't stand a chance as two rockets slammed into it from the sides. "Tank is down." The two vehicles spun back around, still maintaining their momentum as they chased after Rainbow and Octavia.
"Still got a chopper on our six!" Rainbow reminded her. She spun the turret around, releasing a stream of led towards the enemy aircraft currently in pursuit. It took a few hits and leant to the side, disappearing behind two buildings. "Damn... Lost visual of him!"
"EDI, get us off the highway- it's a damn kill zone!" Octavia yelled.
An orange road formed ahead, twisting off the side of the bridge in a loop and disappearing beneath it. The car hit the road and went upside down for second before coming down onto another road beneath the highway.
"A new route has been planned for maximum cover. ETA to Valhalla tower has been extended by seven minutes. Displaying on your GPS now." EDI chirped.
This is gonna be a long fight...